Texas Rangers @ Cleveland Guardians
Wednesday, July 01, 2026, 12:10 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)
Progressive Field
LHP MacKenzie Gore vs. LHP Joey Cantillo
Go Rangers!
Game 87 Game Day Thread – Texas Rangers @ Cleveland Guardians
Flyers Sign Dan Vladar to $27.5 Million Extension After Breakout Campaign
Officially, the Philadelphia Flyers have locked down Dan Vladar as their starting goalie for the next five years.
On Wednesday, Vladar, 28, officially signed his five-year extension worth a total of $27.5 million ($5.5 million cap hit), after much anticipation locally and around the NHL.
Vladar signed with the Flyers on July 1, 2025 after four years with the Calgary Flames and one with the Boston Bruins, quickly emerging as their starter after displacing Sam Ersson.
In 52 games, and 51 starts, with the Flyers, Vladar went 29-14-7 with a 2.42 GAA and .906 save percentage, establishing new career-highs across the board while playing north of 30 games for the first time in his NHL career.
Flyers Miss Out On Top Forward Trade TargetMavrik Bourque is officially no longer an option for the Flyers. Vladar was even more effective in the Stanley Cup playoffs, backstopping the Flyers to a 4-6-0 record and defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in Round 1 to the tune of a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Earlier this offseason, the Flyers traded for Joseph Woll to serve as Vladar's backup, with prospects Carson Bjarnason, Egor Zavragin, Aleksei Kolosov, Martin Psohlavec, and Marek Sklenicka developing behind them.
According to PuckPedia, Vladar will have a full no-move clause in the first two years, a 15-team no-trade list in Year 3, a 10-team no-trade list in Year 4, and a five-team no-trade list in Year 5, giving the Flyers trade flexibility as he ages.
Vladar will be an unrestricted free agent in 2032 at the age of 34.
Lakers agree to $52 million contract with Sandro Mamukelashvili
The Lakers have agreed to terms on a four-year, $52 million contract with free agent big man Sandro Mamukelashvili.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Mamukelashvili is coming off of a career-year with the Raptors.
His scoring average (11.2 points), field goal percentage (52.3%), steals average (.8) and blocks average (.5) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks.
Mamukelashvili, the No. 54 pick in the 2021 draft, has emerged as a reliable three-level scorer, good passer and strong rebounder after playing for the Bucks, Spurs and Raptors.
While there are defensive concerns, he’ll likely be a reliable bench option who’ll play at the 4 or 5.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
Padres drop series in nine-homer slugfest
For a brief shining moment, it felt like the San Diego Padres might actually win this one. They did that thing they always do. They gave the Friar Faithful hope for a comeback only to snuff it out almost immediately. It’s easy to get down in moments like this one. Four consecutive losses to contending teams that have felt like beatdown after beatdown. But it’s just as important for fans to rebound as it is for the players.
It was a rough loss to take, but there were plenty of positives. Four home runs from the Friars. The last time they did that was against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. Fernando Tatis Jr. went yard twice. He hasn’t done that since April 14, 2025 against (ironically) the Chicago Cubs.
The blame for this loss is more on the back of starter JP Sears, who struggled to keep the ball in the yard the whole night. He surrendered seven runs, six of which came via the long ball. The Friars certainly made it interesting, and it was nice to see them show some fight. But, at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. And San Diego badly needs a win right now.
Taking the mound
Colin Rea (CHC) v. Walker Buehler (SD)
Rea looked great down the stretch in 2025 for Chicago. That hasn’t been the case this year. The righty owns a 4.80 ERA this season through 84 1/3 innings pitched. It hasn’t been much better lately, with Rea posting a 4.58 ERA across his last seven games.
The Padres haven’t faced the right-hander very much. But, when they have, they’ve managed to string plenty of hits together. The lineup owns a combined .385 batting average across 26 at-bats against Rea. They’ll need to replicate that to stave off the sweep against Chicago.
Buehler, on the other hand, has been fantastic for San Diego. Despite a seemingly high 3.81 ERA on the season, he owns a 2.45 mark across his last 36 2/3 innings. It’s been a renaissance for the veteran right-hander, and he’ll seek to continue that production Wednesday afternoon.
The Padres righty just pitched a gem against his former team, limiting the Dodgers to one run across 5 1/3 innings pitched. If Buehler can do the same against the Cubs lineup, it would go a long way towards a victory for the Friars.
Batter up!
As stated, the lineup has looked pretty healthy. It’s certainly been inconsistent, but the runs have come in bunches. Excluding Tuesday night, across all 2026 games in which the Padres have scored seven-plus runs, they’ve won 17 of 19 contests. If the offense can do it again this afternoon, the odds are good they’ll win the finale.
- Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
- Samad Taylor, LF
- Manny Machado, 3B
- Gavin Sheets, 1B
- Miguel Andujar, DH
- Jackson Merrill, CF
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- Jake Cronenworth, 2B
- Rodolfo Durán, C
Cronenworth went 0-for-3 in his return to the lineup Monday night. He’ll likely be back in today’s game after sitting for most of Tuesday night. He pinch-hit in the ninth for the Friars but lined out to left field for the first out. The second baseman owns a career .500 batting average against Rea and will hopefully show that off tonight.
Relief corps
The bullpen has been taxed lately. If Buehler is able to work deep into the game, it would be a Godsend for the Friars. Thankfully, Sears was able to work relatively deep into yesterday’s game, meaning only Ron Marinaccio and Wandy Peralta pitched. Marinaccio looked rough but Peralta covered 1 2/3 scoreless innings for San Diego.
That leaves plenty of options for the Friars. Jason Adam, Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez are all available for the Padres to turn to. Morejon and Adam may not come out after being made to throw 22 and 24 pitches, respectively, on Monday night. The rest all figure to pitch in relief once Buehler exits.
Orioles vs. White Sox discussion
It is July 1 and it doesn’t matter if the Orioles win today.
It would be nice if they won. That’s always true. It’s just that this swoon over the past four games, added on top of the overall underwhelming play, is a strong sign that they are cooked for their postseason hopes.
How cooked? I’ll tell you how cooked. They are “Mark throws off the cloak of normalcy and wades deep into nerdiness to try to amuse himself rather than be despondent about the Orioles” cooked. To that end, they are at the point where the Twitch streamer asks, “Chat, are we cooked?” Friends, once they ask that, they’re always already cooked.
For absolutely no useful reason, here are some Twitch global emotes that would be appropriate to use in a variety of situations that the 2026 Orioles have encountered this year. See if you can guess their general meme meaning from context.
4Head – Why doesn’t Cal just teach everyone better fundamentals?
DansGame – Trey Gibson walked six batters last night
Jebaited – The Orioles lost four in a row immediately after Mike Elias said “We’re going for it”
Kappa – It’s a good thing that Bodine, Forret, and Overn are struggling in the Rays system
ResidentSleeper – Alby when a controversial call goes against the Orioles
riPepperonis – The White Sox are using a lefty starter with a high ERA today
Orioles lineup
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Taylor Ward – LF
- Pete Alonso – DH
- Coby Mayo – 1B
- Tyler O’Neill – RF
- Leody Taveras – CF
- Jackson Holliday – 2B
- Blaze Alexander – 3B
Dean Kremer is returning from the injured list to make this start. He’s been gone since late April due to a quad strain. This season began with the Orioles telling Kremer, nope, we don’t need you, and sending him to Norfolk. They continued to jerk him around even when Zach Eflin suffered a season-ending injury during his first start. Kremer only made two starts after arriving before he had to be put on the IL. If he can pitch something like his career numbers, that will be an improvement over Trey Gibson or Chris Bassitt.
There was some roster juggling before the game today, in part to get Kremer activated from the 60-day injured list. The team optioned Gibson and lefty reliever Josh Walker, and in addition to activating Kremer, recalled reliever Cameron Weston, and designated catcher Dom Keegan for assignment. If you have ever previously thought about Dom Keegan before right now, you might be an Orioles sicko.
White Sox lineup
- Sam Antonacci – LF
- Miguel Vargas – 3B
- Andrew Benintendi – DH
- Braden Montgomery – RF
- Jacob Gonzalez – 1B
- Chase Meidroth – 2B
- Tristan Peters – CF
- Luisangel Acuña – SS
- Drew Romo – C
The White Sox starting pitcher today is Drew Schultz. He’s left-handed. riPepperonis, chat. riPepperonis. Except they would never use punctuation on Twitch. I can’t stop myself from using proper punctuation. It may be my most boomer trait.
Seager to the i.l., Smith recalled
The Texas Rangers have placed Corey Seager on the 10 day injured list with lower back inflammation, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled infielder Josh Smith.
Disappointing news here on Seager, made worse by the fact that he technically appeared in yesterday’s game, as he was in the lineup, but was pinch hit for by Cam Cauley. That means the soonest Seager can be activated is July 11 — the Saturday before the All Star Break. My guess is that Seager isn’t activated until after the All Star Break, giving him two weeks to recuperate, at which point he hopefully will be back to 100% for the second half. Seager appeared in just four games — one of which was yesterday’s non-appearance — since being activated from the concussion injured list.
Smith now returns after being sent down a couple of weeks ago. He didn’t play in yesterday’s Round Rock game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was already in Cleveland because of the uncertainty surrounding Brandon Nimmo, who was banged up running into the wall to end Sunday’s game. Smith started the season as the team’s regular second baseman, but was displaced by Ezequiel Duran. Smith is slashing .218/.316/.248 this year in 117 plate appearances.
Walker Kessler trade grades for Lakers, Jazz after LA sends massive picks haul to Utah
The Los Angeles Lakers are fully committed to building around Luka Doncic with LeBron James departing in free agency. Doncic has been clamoring for the team to add a talented young center, and the Lakers delivered on Wednesday afternoon with an incredibly bold deal that mortgages four years of draft control for an effective if often injured big man.
The Lakers acquired Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Kessler, who was a restricted free agent, has agreed to a four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers that includes a player option in the final season.
This is a stunning price to pay for a big man at first blush. The Lakers now have a defensive anchor to play alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves, while the Jazz recouped a tremendous amount of future draft capital to continue their rebuild. Let’s grade this deal for both sides.
Lakers grade for Walker Kessler trade
Kessler is one of the better rim protectors in the NBA when he’s healthy. He just hasn’t been healthy very often. Kessler only played five games last season as he recovered from a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He’s only met the NBA’s 65-game threshold for award eligibility one time in his four-year career, and that came as a rookie. Utah’s tanking shenanigans contributed to Kessler missing games, but he’ll need to stay on the court and play at an elite level for this deal to work out for the Lakers.
Kessler has two main strengths as a player: rebounding and blocking shots. He averages 4.5 blocks per 100 possessions for his career, an elite number. He also led the NBA in offensive rebound rate back in the 2024-25 season, when he posted a wild 16.6 percent o-board rate in 58 games. He’s a fantastic defensive rebounder as well, which plays into his reputation as one of the game’s top defensive bigs.
Kessler’s offense is a much bigger question outside of generating extra possessions on the glass. He’s a total non-shooter from three-point range with 17 made threes in 201 career games, however he did make six threes in five games last season before the injury. He’s a career 54 percent free throw shooter, making him one of the NBA’s worst from the foul line. He can finish dunks and putbacks inside, and that’s about it. He hasn’t added much value as a passer throughout his career, either.
This is the Lakers’ big swing to build a championship team around Luka. Los Angeles obviously needed a strong defensive center to pair with two weak defenders in Doncic and Reaves, and they paid a massive price to get one. Usually a trade like this returns a superstar. Instead, the Lakers acquired someone who fits the team well but doesn’t have the production you typically associate with this type of trade.
Big men are getting huge deals all around the NBA this summer, and Kessler’s is the most jarring yet. The four-year, $130 million contract feels fair for both sides. The amount of draft capital given up to get him is what’s so surprising.
The Lakers way overpaid in my view. It could work out for them because Kessler is really good at protecting the rim and cleaning the glass if he stays healthy, but it’s hard to see how this elevates LA into championship contention, and they don’t have many assets left to keep building the team.
Grade: D
Jazz grade for Walker Kessler trade
Talk about a sell-high trade. It’s amazing the Jazz were able to get this type of return for Kessler after he only played five games last season. He’s not an elite center in my view, but the Jazz certainly got elite value back for him.
Utah is set up so well for the future now. They have No. 2 overall draft pick Darryn Peterson as their new franchise star alongside Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, and Ace Bailey. I honestly don’t think losing Kessler makes Utah that much worse for next season given all their front court depth. They are now stocked with assets to continue to build out the team as Peterson reaches his prime.
This is an amazing move for the Jazz. They robbed the Lakers blind. If Peterson reaches his ceiling, Utah will be set up to be a Western Conference contender for years to come. Their ascent should start this season with what looks like a play-in team at least.
Grade: A+
What I'm Hearing: Latest Rumblings as Oilers Prepare for Free Agency
As the Edmonton Oilers get set for free agency, let's take a look at everything I'm hearing as the team has several irons in the fire, but it could be a relatively slow day.
Darnell Nurse
Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now reports, "Given the uncertainty of the Darnell Nurse situation it is quite possible that today may be a very quiet day for the Edmonton Oilers on the Free Agent front. EDM will need another goalie…at some point, still need to sign RFA’s C. Dach/S. Stastney and have limited cap space."
Several Western teams, including San Jose, have explored trading for him, but he prefers an Eastern destination. Pittsburgh attempted to involve Edmonton in a contract swap that was declined. Philadelphia may need to move a player like Rasmus Ristolainen first, Boston has shown interest, and Nurse has yet to expand his trade list.
Connor Ingram
According Mark Spector: "With the goaltending moves made in Florida, Daniil Tarasov heads to market. A few teams interested, Edmonton among them. Connor Ingram not out of the Oilers picture yet, however."
In respect to Tarasov, Spector adds, "Tarasov played 2/3rds of his career in Columbus, not a good team. The final 1/3rd was spent in Florida last season - when they weren't a very good team (25th in NHL)."
He has an .897 career saves %, he's 6-5, he's 27 years old.
Kasperi Kapanen
There is still talk about Kasperi Kapanen coming back to the Oilers. Spector writes, "Don’t rule out Kasperi Kapanen and the Oilers quite yet. Still ongoing conversations between the two sides."
Jack Roslovic and Adam Henrique Going to Market
The ship has sailed in Edmonton on both Jack Roslovic and Adam Henrique. Each will test the market and see if another team is open to signing either.
** Update: Roslovic signed a two-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs have signed Jack Roslovic to a two-year deal, per @FriedgeHNIC 🍁 pic.twitter.com/7uUZ1WE9r3
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2026
Corey Perry Going Back To LA?
Gene Principe said he reached out to Corey Perry, who is also a free agent. There was a public push of support to bring him back. He said he's waiting things out, but it appears he's going back to the Los Angeles Kings.
Ilya Mikheyev
One player currently being linked to the Edmonton Oilers is Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev, who previously played under head coach Mike Babcock during their time in Toronto.
The Oilers might not do much in free agency, but he's a player they like for his depth scoring, speed and abilty to kill penalties.
* Update: Mikheyev signed a four-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ilya Mikheyev signs a four-year NHL contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. #GoBolts#WeAreGoldStarpic.twitter.com/ytn5UiQlk9
— Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) July 1, 2026
Oilers Trade for Devon Levi
The Edmonton Oilers have traded for goaltender Devon Levi. There was talk earlier this week that Edmonton had kicked tires on the netminder. The Sabres are getting Edmonton's third-round pick in 2028.
Mark Spector of Sportsnet writes, "This would be a precursor to another move. Had better be." Bob Stauffer adds, "Could see the Edmonton Oilers add another goalie on top of Levi. "
Oilers Trade for Sabres Goaltender Devon Levi, Another Move Coming?Edmonton bolsters its crease by acquiring the former collegiate standout for a future pick, banking on the Devon Levi's high-end athleticism to stabilize their inconsistent goaltending situation.Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.
Royals Reacts Survey: Who is to blame for this mess?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The 2026 Royals are bad. This fact is inescapable. Some will argue that they’ve had some bad luck, but you don’t become as putrid as the 2026 Royals without both bad luck and bad execution. In fact, you don’t become this bad without bad luck and bad execution in all phases of roster construction, coaching, and play. But…which aspect is the most to blame for this result?
Is it the roster construction of the front office hampered by what seems clear in retrospect to be an ownership edict not to significantly increase the payroll? Is it the poor bullpen and lineup decisions made by manager Matt Quatraro? Is it the coaching that has led to one of the worst outfield defenses in baseball and numerous baserunning blunders? Or is it the players themselves simply underperforming all reasonable expectations? I have my own thoughts, but before I share them, won’t you please share yours?
Phillies have two in the Future Game
The Futures Game is a chance for people to see how the prospects they read so much about perform on the field. The game is played during All-Star Week, inexplicably buried on a Sunday prior to the draft occurring. This year, the Phillies have two representatives this year in Gage Wood and Wei-Hui Pan.
Wood was almost a guarantee to make the team, but Pan is something of a surprise. With Aidan Miller injured, his participation was not expected, but it is nice to see the Phillies get two players in the game. Now, whether they actually pitch in the game? That’s another story.
George Springer Placed On Paternity List
Now, just cause I think of George Springer as an old man, doesn’t mean, in real life, he’s young and can have a growing family. He has two children already, one also named George, the fourth George Springer.
Jonatan Clase is up with the team. Paternity Leave in the MLB is only for up to three days, so Clase won’t be here long.
To file under damning with faint praise:
Today’s Jays lineup. Vlad is back.
The NHL’s version of the ‘Bobby Bonilla deal’ has finally expired
Hockey’s version of Bobby Bonilla has come to an end. Shea Weber’s hilarious, legendary contract signed by the Nashville Predators in 2012 expired on Wednesday, 14 years after it was originally signed. Weber has been retired from the NHL for five years, he’s been in the Hall of Fame for three years, and collecting a paycheck all this time.
The genesis of this deal goes back to free agency in 2012. Weber was the 26-year-old captain of the Predators, and one of the brightest young defensemen in the NHL, but he was negotiating with Nashville on a long-term extension as he was poised to enter restricted free agency.
Enter the Philadelphia Flyers, who were in a desperate situation. Legendary defenseman Chris Pronger was the team’s stop-gap solution, but he was on the decline and coming off two injury-shortened seasons, with concerns he was ready to retire (which he ultimately did). Free agency was lacking in talent on the defensive end, the Flyers were an established playoff team trying to keep their window open, and they decided to make an unprecedented move.
The Flyers signed Weber to a staggering 14-year, $110 million offer sheet that they felt was both too rich, and too long for the Predators to dare to match. It was worth it for Philadelphia though, because they felt adding Weber to their roster they would become a legitimate Stanley Cup team.
Nashville stunned the league by matching the offer. The Preds were a good team in their own right, but the assumption was that they would keep their cap flexibility in tact to retool their roster. Instead they were all-in on Shea Weber, which wasn’t neccesarily bad — but it did hamstring the team.
By 2016, the Predators were done with continuing to manage the 14-year contract. The team traded Weber to the Montreal Canadiens for P.K. Subban in a blockbuster deal that exchanged two of the league’s primary defensemen. Two years later Weber was declining in his early 30s, getting hurt, and in 2021 he retired from the NHL at age 35.
Not so fast! His contract was still guaranteed until 2026, so now it became a bizarre poker chip. A retired Weber was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in 2022, then to the Blackhawks in 2025 — all in an effort to make salaries work in other deals. He was never going to return and play for the teams, but just the fact he was owed money made him valuable.
That earned Weber $1M in 2023-24, , $200K in 2024-15, and another $1M in 2025-26. Now it’s all over. Pour one one for Shea Weber’s contract.
Padres vs Cubs Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.
The San Diego Padres hope to snap a four-game losing streak with an upset against the red-hot Chicago Cubs.
Chicago has taken the first two games of the series and has four straight wins heading into what’s expected to be a daytime slugfest at Wrigley Field.
San Diego has a favorable pitching matchup, which could cross up everyone’s expectations. My Padres vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks have the Padres getting a win on Wednesday, July 1.
Who will win Padres vs Cubs today: Padres moneyline (+109)
The San Diego Padres have struggled, but their last three series have been against playoff contending teams.
They’ll start Walker Buehler, who had a 1.71 ERA and struck out a quarter of all batters he faced in June. He hasn’t allowed multiple runs in five straight.
Padres hitters have not been the problem lately. They’re 28% over league average, with a .272 average and .816 OPS over the last week and 18% over, .268, .790 for the last two weeks.
They’ll face Colin Rea, who had a 5.04 ERA and 1.520 WHIP in June. San Diego as an underdog are a no-brainer today.
COVERS INTEL:Rea’s fastball is in the 9th percentile in MLB and his breaking stuff is in the 44th. He’s finding success with his offspeed pitches, but San Diego has two of the top batters in MLB against the changeup—Gavin Sheets and Jackson Merrill. Plus, Ty France is hitting .433 against offspeed. Padres vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 11.5 (-119)
This might be the largest Over/Under cutoff I’ve seen this season. Yes, balls fly out of Wrigley during the day, and yes, the two teams combined for 16 runs yesterday. However, they also combined for five on Monday.
Buehler has been in All-Star form, and the two Chicago Cubs batters who’ve faced him the most both hit below .154 with .445 OPS against him.
The Padres have been under in five of the last nine with most of those cutoffs being far below 11.5 runs. The Cubs have been hitting but yesterday was their first 12+ run total in the last six games.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
- ML/RL bets: 24-30 -3.15 units
- Over/Under bets: 31-27 +3.30 units
Padres vs Cubs weather
Padres vs Cubs odds
- Moneyline: San Diego +111 | Chicago -115
- Run line: San Diego +1.5 (-167) | Chicago -1.5 (+160)
- Over/Under: Over 12 (-117) | Under 12 (-108)
Padres vs Cubs trend
The Chicago Cubs have hit the Team Total Under in 13 of their last 19 games at home (+6.60 Units / 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Cubs.
How to watch Padres vs Cubs and game info
| Location | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Wednesday, July 1, 2026 |
| First pitch | 2:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | CHSN, MASN |
| Padres starting pitcher | Walker Buehler (5-3, 3.81 ERA) |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Colin Rea (5-5, 4.80 ERA) |
Padres vs Cubs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
Celtics sign Mitchell Robinson to a long-term deal
The Celtics have signed Mitchell Robinson to a 3-year, $47.4 million deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported. Robinson was a crucial part of the New York Knicks’ championship team, particularly as one of the NBA’s premier rebounders. Robinson reportedly has a player option in the third season of his contract.
Last year, the 28-year-old averaged 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds, shooting 72.3% from the field. In his 8 seasons with the Knicks, he averaged 7.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in just under 24 minutes a game.
Robinson was the Knicks’ longest-tenured player; he was drafted 36th overall in 2018 and has been a key rotation player since. He was one of just two Knicks rotation players on the title team that was drafted by the franchise.
In the playoffs, he averaged 4.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes, and secured a key offensive rebound in the closing seconds of the Knicks’ Game 5 championship-clinching win.
Through his career, Robinson has dealt with a slew of injuries, but he appeared in 60 games last season. He appeared in just 48 games in his previous two combined seasons.
What Mitchell Robinson’s signing means for Boston
Mitchell Robinson immediately bolsters the Celtics’ frontcourt and will be the team’s premier big, alongside Neemias Queta. More than anything, he brings rebounding to a Celtics squad that has heavily valued that skill set. The Celtics now have Robinson, Queta, and Luka Garza all at the center position.
Robinson’s rebounding numbers are ridiculous; he averaged 16.1 boards per 36 minutes per game. Last year, with him on the floor, the Knicks had a 37.9% offensive rebounding percentage, which was in the 99th percentile, per The Ringer’s Brian Barrett.
Robinson’s biggest weakness is free-throw shooting; he shot just 40.8% from the free-throw line last season, a career low. Robinson is routinely and intentionally fouled, and the Celtics will undoubtedly work with him on free-throw shooting to ensure he can stay on the floor. But, he’s one of the NBA’s top rebounding bigs and a true seven-footer, someone who immediately gives the Celtics depth at the big position and becomes the team’s best rebounder.
David Rittich Testing Free Agency
New York Islanders goaltender David Rittich is testing free agency, according to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News.
As mentioned this morning, G David Rittich is testing free agency. #Isles
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) July 1, 2026
This comes as no surprise, as Rittich is a solid NHL backup, one who likely ends up landing a full-time NHL gig.
Islanders' general manager Mathieu Darche publicly declared the plan is for Semyon Varlamov to return to his role as Ilya Sorokin's backup.
As such, Rittich extending on Long Island would've resulted in him starting with the Hamilton Hammers, a non-starter for the NHL veteran.
Rittich, 33, posted a 14-10-3 record in 30 appearances with the Islanders this past season. Rittich added a 2.76 GAA and a .894 save percentage to boot.